If you're a person, living on planet Earth, who sometimes eats food,
our story is actually about you.
How It All Started
A bunch of idealistic farmers. One wild idea. And a food system that would never be the same.
Go Big or Get Out
In the 1980s, family farms were disappearing. Industrial agriculture was taking over, pushing the use of agrichemicals, and cutting corners. Farmers were told to scale up or shut down. But seven stubborn farmers in Wisconsin had a different idea. That’s where Organic Valley’s story begins.
Taking a Stand for Real Food
Led by George Siemon — a long-haired, shoeless idealist — a group of farmers filled the county courthouse and decided to take matters into their own hands. They formed a cooperative owned and run by the farmers themselves, with a commitment to growing and raising real, wholesome food as nature intended.
The OGs of Organic
Our cooperative started out selling veggies and dairy products under the name CROPP (Coulee Region Organic Produce Pool). Back then there were no USDA organic standards and no way to know what “organic” really meant from farm to farm. So we set our own standards for our farms — and these included no GMOs, no artificial hormones, no antibiotics, and animals would be provided plenty of time outside — standards that eventually helped shape the USDA Certified Organic Standards. Eventually, someone said, “Hey, maybe we should come up with a new brand name?” And Organic Valley was born.
Our Milk Brought All the Farmers to the Co-op
Word spread fast. People began choosing our premium, organic products over other options, and we realized that we were certainly right about one thing — people wanted high-quality food, and they wanted to know where it came from. As demand for our organic foods grew, so did farmers’ interest in joining our cooperative. They didn’t want to get big or get out. They wanted in.
Call Us Crazy, but it’s Working
After nearly 40 years in business, we’re still farmer-owned with approximately 1,500 small organic farms in our cooperative. We’re still mission-driven. Still milking cows, gathering eggs, and doing things with integrity, intention, and a whole lot of cow time on pasture.
The Story's Good. The Food's Better.
Explore the organic milk, eggs, butter, cheese, and cream that sparked a movement.
